I'm sure Ray had his feelings hurt quite a bit by what Red said. About how Red thought he might cause the apocalypse. And how Red basically thanked him for not killing him, at least that's how Ray interpreted it. He's trying to make sure Red knows he's safe.
Have you noticed that Ray learned to grab gently enough, so he didn't break every bone in Red's body?
And Red is so invested in their conversation he didn't even think about protesting or scolding him for it yet.
Ray has decided to pet instead of poke. He's giving it a try, see how it feels. But maybe one day he'll return to his roots and poke a bit more.
I wonder how these two will decide.